Barbados

BARBADOS Lo subrayado del color de su normbre es su punto
HISTORY Barbados was initially visited by the Spanish around the late 1400s to early 1500s and first appears on a Spanish map from 1511. The Spanish explorers may have plundered the island of whatever native peoples resided therein to become slaves. The first English ship, the Olive Blossom, arrived in Barbados in 1624. They tookpossession of it in the name of James I, King of England. Two years later in 1627 the first permanent settlers arrived from England and it became an English and later British colony. The original inhabitants were the Indians "Arawak” from Venezuela. In 1966, Barbados became an independent state and Commonwealth realm, retaining Queen Elizabeth II as Head of State. HABBITANTS Barbados has an estimatedpopulation of 284,000 people. CAPITAL CITY The capital city of this island is bridgentown.

GOVERMENT Under the Constitution, Parliament consists of the British monarch, represented by the governor general, the Senate, and the House of Assembly. Elizabeth II is recognized as the Queen of Barbados, and its head of state, being represented by a General Governor. In Barbados the title that leads theQueen is to: "By the Grace of God, Queen of Barbados and of Her other Realms and Territories, Head of the Commonwealth of Nations." The current government is proposing that Barbados is constituted as a republic within the Commonwealth of Nations with an honorary president replacing the Queen. Executive power rests with the Prime Minister and his cabinet. The Prime Minister is normally the leader ofthe party that wins the Assembly elections, which is the lower house of Parliament and has 28 seats are renewed every five years. The Senate has 21 members appointed by the Governor General.

The Sovereign
Isabel II

Office of the Governor General Elliot Belgrave

Executive Branch Office of the Prime Minister (Freudel Stuart) Cabinet Ministers

Lesgislative Branch House of AssemblyMember of parliament (28 seats) Senate (21 persons).

Judiciary Supreme Court Justices Registrars Magistrates

AREA: Barbados is an island with an area of 431 km2 and 97 km of coastline. UBICATION Barbados is a Continental Island in the North Atlantic Ocean; and is located at 13°10' north of the equator, and 59°32' west of the Prime Meridian. OFFICIAL LENGUAGE In Barbados the people speaks a localdialect called Bajan, as well Creole, patois, German, Spanish. And the official language is the English. THE BARBADO’S COIN The dollar has been the currency of Barbados since 1935. The present dollar has the ISO 4217 code BBD and is normally abbreviated with the dollar sign "$" or, alternatively, "Bds$" to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies. BARBADO’S RELIGION According to the2000 official census, more than 95 percent of the population of Barbados is considered Christian, although persons may not be active in any particular denomination. The percents are those: Protestants: 67% Anglican: 40% Pentecostals: 8% Methodist: 7% Other Protestant: 12% Catholics: 4% Other religions: 12% No: 17%

ISLAND’S DIVISION That island is divided of 11 states and they are: Parroquiade Christ Church, Parroquia de Saint Andrew, Parroquia de Saint George, Parroquia de Saint James, Parroquia de Saint John, Parroquia de Saint Joseph, Parroquia de Saint Lucy, Parroquia de Saint Michael, Parroquia de Saint Peter, Parroquia de Saint Philip, Parroquia de Saint Thomas. BARBADO’S WEATHER AND CLIMATE: Barbados weather is generally warm and sunny all year round with an average daytimehigh of 75 85 F. The nights are usually slightly cooler. The prevailing northeast trade winds blow steadily so that although it is bright and sunny, it is not unbearably hot. The rain usually comes in quick showers. The dry season lasts from January to June. BARBADO’S EDUCATION Barbados is well known for its high level of education and has long boasted one of the highest rates of literacy in the...